Apparatus for constructing pipe-wells.



G. D. KIRKPATRICK. APPARATUS FOR GONSTRUOTING PIPE WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1912. 1 123 129 Patented Dec.29,1914K 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUGTING PIPE WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1912.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHBET 2.

MAM

CHARLES D. KIRKPATRICK, OF -MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FiJR CONSTRUCTING PIPE-WELLS-.

Application filed June 6, 1912.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. KIRKPAT- RICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Constructing Pipeells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for constructing pipe wells. More particularly it relates to mechanism for driving the pipe into the ground; and it is among the objects of the invention to provide means by which the mechanism shall deliver a rapid succession of blows upon the pipe; permit the hammer to be fed downward as the pipe is driven; rotate the pipe I while it is being driven; and provide, as auxiliary to the pipe driving and turning mechanism, mechanically actuated means for removing earth within the driven'pipe. To accomplish all of these objects by a single mechanism, a hammer head is suspended by springs, which may be differential springs, on the end of a lever that is continuously oscillated by any convenient source of power, such as a gasolene engine. A circular feed motion for the pipe is arranged, driven from the same source of power, each of these being separable from the rest of the mechanism; and a cross-head with water pipe and drill working within the driven pipe is arranged to be engaged by the hammer on its upward swing, to be thus loosened and raised.

It is also the object of the invention to provide the other useful features which are incidental to the apparatus herein set forth,

the intent of the patent being to cover whatever is novel in the ideas disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a side elevation in central section of apparatus embodying the invention, showing the hammer down; Fig. is a perspective "iew of the hammer head, on a larger scale; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, with the hammer in mid position; Fig. 4: is a plan of the same; and Fig. 5 1s an sometric v ew of a detail.

Referring to th'edrawings', 10 represents a main driving shaftwhich may be operated continuously 111 ()IlG Cll l'QCtlOll from a source'l of power such as' a gasolenemotor, not shown, a pulley 11 being indicated for the Specification of Letters Patent.

ried on the rotating disk.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914- Serial No. 701,948.

tion will be directly proportionate to the rapidity of hammer blows, because both are driven from the same shaft. The pipe 14 that is to be driven extends down and up through the hollow center 15 of a heavy disk 19 that forms part of the machine and is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis.

It carries means by which it may be engaged and rotated by the head, such as a clamp 16 with bars 17 extending radially which can be engaged by uprights l8'car- This disk 19 has, on its under side, gear teeth 19 adapted to engage in a bevel gear 20 which is driven by the clutch 13, the ratio of gearing being such that the disk 19 has considerably fewer rotations per minute than the clutch 13. From the disk 19 a hollow shaft 21 extends downward with a. rather long vertical bearing 23 in a stationary block 22, and having a flange 24 engaging the under side of the bearing 23. Ball bearings 25 or other suitable thrust bearings may be provided forv the disk 19 where it rests downward on the top of the block 22. The disk consequently turns easily on its thrust bearing and is maintained vertical and central by the loug bearing 23 and by the under flange 2%, notwithstanding the several stresses to which it may be subjected, and the unbalanced thrust of these vertical guides has a rack 30,'in

which pinions 81 mounted on the bar are adapted to mesh. Other uprights 31, 3a afford a vertical slide bearing for the block 35 which connects the rod 36, driven by the crank 37, with a link 38 on the'tail end'of hammer ,lever'33, This link may, 'as illus+i trated, be connected to the hammer lever at one of several alternative points, 39,v 39'. The hammer head 50 is mounted at the other end of the lever 33 with the fulcrum 32 intervening. Consequently, the fixing of the can, to a degree, be obtained by connecting a link 38 of fixed length in various obhque positions. The construction illustrated gives a range of fine adjustments, and also enables the hammer to reach up to drive the top of a pipe standing high out of the ground or to reach down to drive a pipe very. low. j

The hammer head 50 issuspended from the lever 33 by springs which permit it to yield somewhat up and down from the median line of the lever. While these springs may be of any suitable sort, those which restrain the upward motion of the hammer head may preferably be somewhat stiffer than the others. .As illustrated, the suspension consists of a fork having two arms, 51, 51 on the end of the lever 33, each of which is forked vertically into prongs 52, 52-. Between each pair of prongs 52 is a vertical rod 53 on which slides a sleeve 54 connected by a swivel 55 to the head 50. Thus the head interveneshorizontally between the prongs 51 of lever 33 and is supported on the sleeves 54 that travel up and down between the prongs 52, the travel 'being restrained if desired by suitable springs 55" arranged above and 55. arranged below the sleeves on rods 53. The upper of the springs, 55, may be stifier than the lower, 55. The hammer head 50 is a tubular block of suitable weight, and carries beneath it a tubular extension 56 which reaches down through the cap 57 of the pipe that is to be driven and constitutes a guide so that the hammer always strikes the cap centrally. Within-these is a pipe 58, which also serves as adrill rod, that reaches down through the hammer head 50,'its extension guide 56, and the driven pipe 14 to the bottom thereof wherefit carries a drill head 59 of suitable shape. One shape for this is illustrated in .Fig. 1, where the end of the passage through the pipe 58 is marked 58 and is seen to discharge on each side of the drill head. The upper end of this pipe or drill rod 58 carries a cross the cross head. Means may also beprovided head 60 into which a hose 61,dis'-" charges water for the pipe 58. -The cross-- head itself'is guided by two verticalrods62 that rise from the hammer head 50. Spiral" springs 63 may be carried on th se to soften the upward impact of the hammer head on"= now to be described for giving to the upright arm 72 its horizontal motion. Said mechanism consists of an eccentric 73 which is rotated step by step by a pawl and ratchet 74 operated by a lever 75 having a fork 76 adapted to engage the hammer lever 33. As the hammer lever rises and falls, the lever 75 and pawl and ratchet rotate the eccentric, giving to the eccentric rod 77 a reciprocating motion which is communicated to the up right 72 through a cross head 78 mounted in a bracket 7 9 on the main bracket 80 which supports all of this portion of the mechanism on the bar 31. When the machine is in operation the bar 72, moving to and fro horizontally, turns the drill head 59 a little for each fresh stroke. This turning begins 'on the upward motion of the hammer head,

because of the way the pawl and ratchet are arranged, and consequently has the initial effect of loosening the drill head ,59 so that it can be raised more readily in case it is embedded in earth.

The earth in the interior of the driven pipe is removed by a pump 83, indicated diagrammatically in Fig. -1 driven from the main shaft 10 by an eccentric 81 and discharging through the hose pipe 61. This pump, forcing water" to the drill head.

through the passage 58, maintains a current upwardthrough the driven pipe, by which the water andthe loose earth borne by the water are discharged through the opening 82 in the driving cap 57. The driven pipe, and the drill pipe must each be lengthened, from time to time by addition of sections. Their relative length may be such that the hammer 50 plays-between the cap 57 and the cross head 60.

The operator will, according to circumstances, refer to have the drill head 59 working elow or above the bottom of-pipe' .14. This can be adjusted by regulating the throw or travel of thehammer, so that it bears the more downward upon the cap 57,

or upward on the drill cross head 60, the blowsupon the drill being delivered by the falling weight of its head and rod, after being lifted by the hammer, while'the blows upon-the pipe 14' are delivered directly bv the hammer. v "oration the shaft 10 rotates continuous at a uniform speed, thus causing a' continuous and uniform oscillation. of the hammer lever 33. A speed relation between the various moving parts, which ought to be taken account of in designing or in adjusting any particular machine, and which driven oscillation of the lever which supports it. The speed of the main shaft and the adjustment of the connections to the hammer lever should be such as to work in harmony with the period of oscillation of the springs. When moving downward, the

hammer head is both pulled by gravity and thrown by the lever. When moving upward the momentum is checked, when the lever 33 reverses its direction, by gravity and by the lifting of the drill cross head 60. These cooperate with the stifiness of the springs 63 to stop the hammer heads upward motion quickly and to throw it back down again, so that the hammer can operate at a considerable speed, the time required in checking the upward momentum being short. The drill staits down when the hammer does, but usually delivers its blow a trifle later, owing to the hammer being thrown down, while the drill merely falls. The solid earth at the foot of the pipe therefore is not subjected to opposing blows, but each has time to produce its effect undisturbed .by the other, while the two, acting. in quick succession, are more effective than if separated by a long interval. The result is to drive the pipe by a large number of quickly delivered yet powerful blows, churning and scouring of the interior, andtthe rotation of the pipe itself being effected simultaneously therewith. This is an improvement as compared with previously known methods, in which the blows have been relatively slow, and increased speed of driving has been attainable only by striking heavier blows. The apparatus is also an improvement over previous apparatus in which it has been necessary to lift and let fall the churning head and drill by hand, and to turn the driven pipe by hand, the driving blows on the main pipe being ordinarily suspended while one of these operations is in progress.

Although the mechanism has been here described as it may be used for driving a pipe, it will be obvious that it might be used for a drill; and perhaps for other similar purposes, and that parts of the mechanism disclosed may be used without applying the whole of it. When the mechanism has been suitably adjusted as to speed, that speed may be used continuously during the operation, and the force of the blow delivered may be varied by changing the elevatibn of the carriage 31 that holds the fulcrum block 32 of the hammer. This is done by means of the rack and pinion. This changes the zonethrough which the normal travel of the hammer head occurs, so that the point at which itencounters the cap on the drilling pipe to deliver its blow is more or less distant from. the point to which its travel would otherwise extend; and this makes it unnecessary to change the speed in order to get a heavier blow when needed. At the same'time the rack and pinion enables the hammer to follow the pipe as it is driven down, and is in this respect an improvement over the method used in rope and drum machines where this is accomplished by letting out some slack from the drum that holds the rope. In fact, by the present invention all rope is eliminated, and materials that are quicker in action and more durable in life are substituted. It will also be observed that by applying the rack and pinion to the fulcrum the movement of the pinion to effect a certain movement of the hammer action is considerably less than the distance moved by the pipe, because the travel of the fulcrum is multiplied by the leverage of the beam.

1 claim 1. Apparatus for driving pipe or the like, comprising automatically oscillating percussion mechanism combined with means for rotating the driven pipe on its axis while said percussion mechanism is operating, and means acting within the pipe to disintegrate the. material therein.

2. Apparatus for driving pipe or the like,

comprising the combination of an oscillat,'

ing lever, a hammer head thereon adapted to drive the pipe by percussion, and means to rotate the driven pipe on its axis while said hammer is operating, and means acting within the pipe to disintegrate the material therein.

3. Apparatus for driving pipe, comprismg, in combination, an oscillating hammer; a water pipe and drill adapted to operate within the driven pipe; said hammer on its oscillation in one direction striking the driven pipe to drive it and on its oscillation in the other direction lifting the drill to let it fall.

4. Apparatus for driving pipe, comprising, in combination, simultaneously operating means, each connected continuously to the source of power, producing rapid percussion on the pipe, slow rotation of the pipe about its axis, and scouring of material within the pipe.

5. Apparatus for driving pipe, comprising the combination of a hammer and means for producing rapid percussion thereby on the top of the driven pipe; a drill lifted by the hammer and acting within the pipe by percussion; and means to rotate both driven pipe and drill while the hammer mechanism is operating.

6. Apparatus for driving pipe, comprising the combination of a hammer and means for producing rapid percussion thereby on be engaged by the hammer. head on its upthe top of the dr1ven pipe, a drill acting within the driven pipe and lifted by the upward swinging of the hammer; and means to vary the zone of action of the hammer 1'81. ative to the pipe and to the drill, to act upon either alone or upon them both alternately.

7. In apparatus for driving pipe or the like, the combination with a continuously acting source of power, of a lever continuthe pipe by percussion; and a weight engaged by the hammer head on its upward travel, whereby the said upward travel is retarded and the return stroke instituted more rapidly, said weight comprising adrill-depending within the driven pipe. 7

9. In apparatus for driving pipe or the like, the combination of an oscillating hammer and a support therefor, a drill depending within the driven pipe and adapted to ward travel, whereby the drill is lifted and the upward travel of the hammer retarded;

" the support for said hammer being a power driven lever, whereby the hammer is thrown downward and delivers its blow before the drill, notso impelled, delivers its,blow.

10. In apparatus for driving pipe or the like, the combination of a lever with a hammer head at 'one end adapted to strike the pipe; means to engage and rotate the pipe;

' like comprising the a pump and connections for securing contents from the pipe; a drlvlng shaft; con- 45 nections from the shaft to the pump, the pipe engaging ,means and the other end of the lever; an upright support; and a fulcrum sustained thereby at variable elevation, said fulcrum supporting the lever, and said connections being adapted to suit vary" ing elevations of the lever and p pe.

11. Apparatus for drivlng plpe or the combination of a drill acting at the bottom of the pipe and having a rod extending upthrough the plpe, pereussion mechanism acting on both pipe and drill, and means to turn both while said per-.

eussion mechanism is operating.

12. In apparatus for drivlngpipe or the like,- the combination of a driv ng shaft; a hammer; linkage connecting said shaft and hammer, oscillating the hammer to and from the driven p1pe; means to engage the,

driven pipe; and gearing connecting said shaft and means, rotating the driven pipe.

13. In apparatus for driving pipe, the

combination of an oscillating hammer acting downward upon the pipe; a drill acting within the pipe and having a member above the top of the 'pipe; and means actuated by the oscillations of the hammer to rotate the drill step by' step.

14. In apparatus combination of a hammer; means oscillating the hammer to strike down upon the driven pipe; a drill operating within the driven pipe; a rod running out from the for driving pipe, the i drill through the hammer; and a device connecting said oscillating means to the rod and converting the oscillation movement into a turning of the drill.

15. In apparatus for driving pipe, the combination of a hammer; means oscillating the hammer to strike down upon the driven. pipe; a drill operating within the driven pipe; a rod running out from the drill through the hammer; an arm extending laterally from said rod; an eccentric adapted to shift the arm horizontally; and' a connection from said oscillating means actuating the eccentric step by step.

16. In apparatus fordriving pipe, the

combination of a hammer; means oscillating the hammer to strike down upon the driven pipe a drill operating'within the driven pipe a rod running out from the drill through the hammer; an arm extending laterally from said rod an eccentric adaptedto shift the arm horizontally; and a. connection. from said oscillating means actuating the eccentric step by step; the engagement for turning the eccentric occurring on the upward stroke of the hammer, whereby the drill is turned and thus loosened before being raised. i u

17. In apparatus 'for driving pipe, the combination of a drill adapted to operate within the pipe and having a cross-head above the top of the pipe; a hammer; and guides extending both downward and upward from the hammer head, engaging respectively the pipe top and the cross head,

whereby the one hammer drives both pipe and drill. I

18. In apparatus for driving pipe, the combination of a hammer head; a tube extending down, therefrom and entering the pipetop for guiding the hammer; a drill adapted to operate within the pipe; a drill rod therefor; passing up through the pipe, said tube and said hammer, and having a cross head above the hammer; and a lever adapted to oscillate the -hammer head between said pipe top and said cross head.

19. Apparatus for driving pipe or the like comprising the combination of an arm oscillating vertically and having a driving head thrown up and down bycthe arm and movable in and out thereon; a rotat ng I member adapted to turn a driven pipe; and churning drill Within the pipe; means to 10 means to churn and Wash out the earth Wash out the earth therein; and means to Within the driven pipe. support said drill loosely on said head.

20. Apparatus for driving pipe or the Signed by me at Boston, Mass, this third like comprising the combination of a vertiday of June, 1912.

cal oscillating lever, means for feeding the CHARLES D. KIRKPATRICK fulcrum of said lever vertically; a driving Witnesses: head, spring-attached to the lever; means EVERETT E. KENT,

for rotating the driven pipe; a tubular JOSEPH T. BRENNAN. 

